Forever the Taylors?

18

"Daddy, can you and mommy bring me a baby brother?" Zane asked while playing in the mountains of bubbles in his bathtub. This was probably the third time Zane has tried to have this conversation with his dad about a sibling.

Zac tried his hand at changing the topic. "Do you remember what tomorrow is?"

"YESSSSS!" he splashed "You're coming to read to my class! And bring us pizza!"

"Yes, so you gotta get out this bath so we can choose a book."

"But daddy I want to read the boss baby book. When he gets a baby bother." Zane responded.

Zac realized he was not going to be able to keep getting away from the conversation so he tried reasoning with him. "Zane me and mommy can't give you a baby brother. But we can give you lots of fun and friends and toys if you stop asking for a sibling."

"I can get toys?" Zane suddenly forgot all about a brother. At least for the evening.

"Yea man. We can get some toys this weekend." Zac said relieved. "Ok. Enough bubbles. Let's get ready for bed."

Thirty minutes later, Zane's light snores could be heard under the rain sounds playing from his Alexa.

Zac sat up in the bed looking over his schedule for the week. He was struggling to keep his eyes open but the notification sound playing on his got his attention. "Hey you up?" The message read. It was Noelle. She hand Zac would hook up from time to time. "I am now. He responded flirtatiously. "But I can't tonight." He said adding a sad face emoji on the end. Zac like hooking up with Noelle. It was purely transactional. She was a cool chick but Zac wasn't interested in anything more than a sexual relationship and Noelle was gifted in that department. Noelle felt the same. The best part was that the only expectation that either had of the other was mind blowing sex.

"Tomorrow?" He followed up. He had a rule about bringing women around Zane. The rule was that he didn't do it.

Noelle replied. "Tomorrow sounds good to me. Text me the deets." She followed up with an attachment that made Zac stand at attention immediately.

"Damn." He texted back and tossed down his phone. He closed his laptop trying to force himself to sleep but he couldn't help the highlight reel playing in his head.

**

Fatima and Rich laid cuddled on the couch. Amaya had went off to bed after tricking Fatima into giving her a new hairstyle for school an hour earlier. "You know that girl adores you right?" Richard asked Fatima who was nestled in his arms

"I know. I just love her. You really have done a great job with her." Fatima said giving him his props, sipping the last bit from her wine glass.

Rich sat behind Fatima on the couch placing soft kisses on her neck. "Fatima, I've been thinking, " Rich said between kisses. "You spend almost all your time here, why don't you move in?" Richard asked in between kisses.

Fatima's body froze and she stumbled to get her words out "Aww babe, that's sweet but don't you think it's a bit fast?" Fatima whined hoping to get out of this conversation.

"Fast? Tima, we make a year next month. And you're here all the time anyway. What's really going on? Talk to me."

"It's nothing babe. I just don't think I'm ready." Fatima confessed while still managing to hold back.

Rich could feel Fatima pulling away and decided to let the topic go after delivering his final thoughts. His feelings were hurt. He couldn't lie, but he knew that she had been through a lot and was only trying to protect herself.